1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera, and more particularly to a camera having a display device, such as a liquid crystal display panel, for displaying modes of the camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional camera, a mode selector switch is allocated for each group of modes. In selecting a desired mode of the camera, every time a mode selector switch is pressed, the selected mode changes cyclically among the modes of the group which the switch serves, and an icon, characters or the like displaying the currently selected mode are displayed on a display unit.
For instance, every time a mode selector switch allocated to a group of flash lamp-related modes is pressed, the selected mode is cyclically switched to a low luminance automatic lighting mode, a red eye preventing mode, an all-time flash lamp lighting mode, a flash lamp forbidding mode, a night view portrait mode and back to the low luminance automatic lighting mode (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-142651). On the other hand, every time a mode selector switch allocated to a group of focusing-related modes is pressed, the selected mode is cyclically switched to an auto-focusing mode, a fixed infinite-distance focusing mode, a macro-focusing mode and so forth.
There also is a camera in which if, for instance, the fixed infinite-distance focusing mode is selected, any mode which would allow the flash lamp to be light is restricted in the group of flash lamp-related modes (see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-142651).
Further, there is a camera according to the prior art which permits changing over among multiple self-photographing modes allowing choice of the number of self-taken pictures (for instance, a SELF 1 mode S1 for automatically taking one picture, a SELF 2 mode S2 for automatically taking two pictures, and a SELF 3 mode S3 for automatically taking three pictures), a remote control mode Rem, and an Off mode OFF for canceling the multiple self-photographing modes and the remote control mode. When changing over a camera having these modes from one mode to another, the applicable one of the mode selector switches allocated to groups to which these modes respectively belong is pressed. Every time the mode selector switch is pressed, the selected mode changes cyclically in one direction in a sequence of OFFxe2x86x92S1xe2x86x92S2xe2x86x92S3xe2x86x92Remxe2x86x92OFF and so on (see Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 9-96862 and 10-142651).
As described above, any conventional camera displays on its display unit only the mode selected with a mode selector switch, the screen size of the display unit can be kept small, but all selectable modes cannot be displayed. Therefore, it is impossible to check at a glance what modes are available with the camera and, moreover, what mode has been set needs to be checked on the display screen every time the mode selector switch is pressed, resulting in inconvenience in mode selection. There further is the problem that, where a large number of groups are involved, the number of switches allocated for the groups also increases.
Another conventional camera permitting limitation of the combinations of modes has a simplified displaying function, making it sometimes impossible to know in what mode a picture is being taken. If, for instance, the fixed infinite-distance focusing mode is selected, the signs of modes that permit lighting of the flash lamp are no longer displayed or, as modes related to the flash lamp and modes related to focusing are combined, no individual mode is displayed, again making it sometimes impossible to know in what mode a picture is being taken.
Moreover, as the above-described changing over to the multiple self-photographing mode, the remote control mode Rem and the Off mode OFF cyclically takes place in a single direction, there is the problem that if for instance the SELF 1 mode S1 is desired but the mode selector switch is pressed more than once by mistake and the SELF 2 mode S2 is selected, in order to select the SELF 1 mode S1 anew, the mode selector switch will have to be pressed four times in the sequence of S3xe2x86x92Remxe2x86x92OFFxe2x86x92S1.
It is conceivable to provide a switch permitting mode changes in the reverse sequence to the aforementioned (in other words, a switch capable of changing over in the counter-forward direction).
In this case, as the remote control mode Rem, for instance, is selected at the moment, if the mode change is accomplished in the reverse direction to select a self mode, the SELF 3 mode S3, which is the least frequently used, will be selected first.
An object of the present invention, attempted in view of these circumstances, is to provide a camera which permits recognition at a glance the selectable modes in each group and easy understanding of the way of mode selection because the selection of a group and that of a mode in each group match the arrangement of displayed mode signs. Another object is to provide a camera which can clearly indicate in what combination of modes a picture is to be taken, any limitation that may be applied to mode selection and any automatic change in the mode selected in another group. A still another object is to provide a camera which permits changing over in both directions, forward and backward, where choice is to be made out of a multiple self-photographing mode, a remote control mode and an Off mode, and more convenient changing over by differentiating selectable modes between the forward and backward directions.
In order to achieve the above-described objects, the present invention is directed to a camera, comprising: a display device which displays a plurality of modes of the camera, the display device classifying the plurality of modes into groups according to their type and simultaneously displaying the mode selected in each group in a different row or column for each group; and an operating member which selects a desired one out of the groups and selects a desired one out of the modes belonging to the selected group.
According to the present invention, the modes belonging to the groups are displayed on the display device on rows or columns differentiated by the group. The operating member enables the camera to be promptly set in the desired mode by selecting a desired one out of the groups and a desired mode out of the modes belonging to the selected group.
Preferably, the display device displays all selectable modes belonging to the group selected by the operating member, and displays only the mode selected for each group out of the modes belonging to the other groups not selected by the operating member.
Preferably, the display device distinguishably displays a selected mode and other modes out of selectable modes belonging to the group selected by the operating member.
Preferably, the display device intermittently displays one and continuously displays the others of the selected mode and other modes out of selectable modes belonging to a group selected by the operating member.
Preferably, the operating member comprises a cross-shaped button manipulable vertically and laterally; one group is selected out of groups arranged vertically or one mode is selected out of a plurality of grouped modes arranged vertically by vertical manipulation of the cross-shaped button; and one mode is selected out of a plurality of grouped modes arranged laterally or one group is selected out of groups arranged laterally by lateral manipulation of the cross-shaped button. According to the present invention, the manipulation of the cross-shaped button, selection of one group out of groups and selection of one mode out of each group match one another to make the handling easy to understand.
Preferably, the plurality of modes are classified into at least two or more groups out of a group of modes related to a flash lamp, a group of modes related to the start of shutter releasing, a group of modes related to focusing, and a group of modes related to date printing.
The present invention is also directed to a camera, comprising: a display device which displays a plurality of modes of the camera, the display device classifying the plurality of modes into groups according to their type and simultaneously displaying the mode selected in each group; an operating member which selects a desired one out of the groups and selects a desired one out of the modes belonging to the selected group; and a limiting device which, in the selection of a mode belonging to a certain group by the operating member, limits selectable modes according to modes selected out of other groups or, if the operating member selects a mode belonging to a certain group, automatically changes, according to that selected mode, modes selected out of other groups.
According to the present invention, as the display device simultaneously displays modes selected out of different groups, it can easily distinguish, when a mode belonging to a certain group is to be selected and if modes selected out of other groups are automatically changed, those changed modes.
Preferably, the display device displays all selectable modes belonging to the group selected by the operating member and, for the modes belonging to other groups not selected by the operating member displays only a selected or automatically changed mode in each group. According to the present invention, in selecting a mode belonging to a certain group, as all selectable modes belonging to the group are displayed, it is possible to easily identify the state of limitation by selection from other groups, and at the same time the state of mode selection or automatic mode change in other groups.
Preferably, the limiting device, when the operating member selects a mode belonging to a certain group, automatically changes, according to the selected mode, modes selected out of other groups and, if the operating member subsequently further selects the mode belonging to the certain group, returns automatically changed modes in other groups to their initially selected modes. According to the present invention, the trouble of selection a mode out of each group anew is saved.
Preferably, the groups comprise a first group of modes related to a flash lamp and a second group of modes related to focusing; and the limiting device, in selecting a mode belonging to the first group, limits the selectable modes according to the mode selected out of the second group and, when the operating member selects a mode belonging to the second group, automatically changes, according to that selected mode, the mode selected out of the first group.
Preferably, the first group has at least two or more modes out of a low luminance automatic lighting mode, a red eye preventing mode, an all-time flash lamp lighting mode, a flash lamp forbidding mode, and a night view portrait mode, the second group has at least two or more modes out of an auto-focusing mode, a fixed infinite-distance focusing mode, and a macro-focusing mode.
The present invention is also directed to a camera capable of changing over among multiple self-photographing modes in which the number of self-shot pictures is selectable, a remote control mode, and an OFF mode for canceling the multiple self-photographing modes and the remote control mode, the camera comprising: an operating member which changes over the OFF mode, the multiple self-photographing modes and the remote control mode in a forward or backward direction; and a mode changing device which changes the selectable modes according to the direction in which the operating member is manipulated, forward or backward.
According to the present invention, it is made possible to change over from one mode to another in either the forward or reverse direction, so that the camera can be promptly set in a desired mode, and to change the selectable modes depending on the direction of changing over, forward or backward, so that mode selection can be accomplished in a more natural manner.
Preferably, the multiple self-photographing modes comprises 1 to n self modes where n is the selectable number of self-taken pictures; and when the operating member is manipulated within the range of the 1 to n self modes in either the forward or backward direction, the mode changing device selects the 1 to n self modes sequentially in either the forward or backward direction and, if the operating member is manipulated in any other mode than the 1 to n self modes in the backward direction, the mode changing device selects only the self 1 mode.
According to the present invention, within the range of 1 to n self modes, the 1 to n self modes can be selected in either the forward or backward direction and, when a change-over another mode to a self mode is to take place, a change-over to the self 1 mode is accomplished at the outset.
Preferably, the camera further comprises: a display device which automatically displays the OFF mode, one self mode out of the 1 to n self modes and the remote control mode, wherein when the operating member is manipulated in the forward direction for a change-over to any other mode than the 1 to n self modes, the display device returns the display from the self n mode to the self 1 mode.
Preferably, the display device distinguishably displays a mode selected by the operating member and another mode not selected thereby, out of the OFF mode, one self mode out of the 1 to n self modes and the remote control mode.